Picking and grappling device



Sept. 22, 1959 5. N. ,LUNDE I PICKING AND GRAPPLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1956 INVENTOR. E HRL N L UNDE Gala/m4 HTTORN Y6 United States PICKING AND GRAPPLING DEVICE Earl N. Lunde, Park Rapids, Minn. I Application September 26, 1956, Serial No. 612,185

4 Claims. (Cl. 294-19) This invention relates to grasping or gripping mechanisms and more specifically relates to a grappling device for picking up and securely holding objects.

An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved grappling device of simple and inexpensive construction and operation. I

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel device for gripping an object and restricting movement and slipping thereof in multi-directions so as to prevent losing hold of the object.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an object-picking or grappling device which conforms to the general shape or contour of the object in order to engage a maximum surface area thereof and thereby eliminate the exerting'of excessive compressive pressures on the object.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a novel object-picking device which adapts itself to the general contour of the object being picked up and which increases the grip on the object by exerting localized pressures on certain areas of the surface of the object.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the grappling device;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation view, partly broken away, of the device;

Fig. 3 is a bottom end view of the device as viewed from approximately 3-3 as indicated in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detail section view of a portion of the device as indicated at 4-4 in Fig. 2.

One form of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and is described herein.

' The picking or grappling device indicated in general by numeral includes an elongated body or shank portion 11 having an offset handle 12 on the upper end thereof and having a pair of jaws indicated in general by numerals 13 and 14 on the lower end thereof. I aw 13 comprises a pair of elongated and curved objectengaging elements or sharpened tines 15 which are spaced from each other and which are afiixedly secured to the shank 11. The ends of Itines may be slightly hooked. In the form shown, the-tines are inserted into the end portion 16 of the shank 11 and the end portion is crimped inwardly onto the tines and rigidly holds the same.

Jaw 14 includes an elongated rigid backing or supporting element 17 which may be constructed of a rigid .bar. .The inner end portion 18 of bar 17 is disposed in a vertical plane and extends through a slot opening 19 in the lower end portion of shank 11. The inner end portion '18 of the jaw 14 is pivoted in the slot opening by a bolt 20. Bar 17 is twisted at 21 so that the outer end portion 22 thereof provides a mounting surface 22a in opposed relation with the jaw 13. Means are provided on jaw 14 for engaging an object and conforming to the general configuration or contour of the object for enice gaging a substantial surface area thereof in order to exert very substantial gripping force on the object without localizing the pressure thereon. In the form shown, such means include an elongated strip of soft and easily compressible foam rubber material 23 which extends along the outer end portion 22 of the jaw backing 17 and which is affixed thereto. Strip 23 has an objectengaging outer surface 24 which engages the object as the jaws are swung relative to each other.

Means are also provided on jaw 14 for exerting localized pressure on the object to be picked up in order to prevent movement of the object in multi-directions and particularly in a direction longitudinally of the jaw. In the form shown, such means include a channel member 25 receiving the outer end portion 22 of jaw frame 17 therethrough. Channel 25 has a plurality of teeth 26 formed in the side flanges 27 thereof. It will be noted that the ends of the teeth 26 are disposed behind the object-engaging surface 24 of the compressible strip 23. Channel 25 is slidably mounted to facilitate ready and easy removal thereof. Means are provided for releasably securing the channel 25 on the jaw 14 and in the form shown such means include inturned ears 25a which bear against the lower side of bar 17, and a leaf spring 28 secured as by rivets on the jaw frame 17 and having an upwardly protruding bead 28a, best seen in Fig. 4, extendible into an aperture 29 in the channel 25. It will be noted that the spring 28 is normally urged upwardly away fromjaw backing 17 and may be manually urged inwardly to remove the bead 28 from the aperture and thereby facilitate ready and easy removal of the channel 25 and teeth 26.

Means are provided for controllably operating the relatively movable jaws 13 and 14 and in the form shown such means include a tension spring 30 having one end secured to an eyelet 31 on the jaw 14 and having the other end secured to an eyelet 32 on the shank 11. The spring 30 is arranged to normally bias the jaws to open position. Finger controlled rod 33 extends along the shank 11 and through a slide bearing 34 at the upper end. Rod 33 has a finger-receiving trigger 35 at the upper end thereof and is swingably secured at the lower end thereof to the inner end portion 18 of the swingable jaw 14.

When an object is to be picked up, the jaws. are allowed to be in open position and then the jaws are oriented on opposite side of the object. By pulling upwardly on the finger-controlled rod 33 jaw *14 is swung downwardly and toward the curved tines of the other jaw. Because the jaw 14 is located between the tines 15, the jaws will tend to bend the object when it is being picked up and the object is thereby prevented from moving transversely of the jaws. This function is particularly useful in picking up or grappling fish and the like which are somewhat yieldable in nature. As the jaws 13 and 14 are disposed in substantially encompassing relation around the fishs body the jaws tend to bend the fishs body and he can move neither forwardly nor rearwardly out of the grappling device. It will be noted that as the jaw 14 is brought into registration with the object, the compressible strip 23 conforms to the general contour of the object to engage the object over a very substantial surface area and thereby eliminate the need for exerting high pressure on theobject in a particular location. Of course the foam rubber material restricts movement of the object because of the highly frictional relation between the rubber and the objects. If desired, additional pressure may be exerted on the object causing the strip 23 to be compressed sufliciently to cause the teeth 26 to bear against the surface of the object. The teeth 26 localize pressure on small surface areas of the object and restrict movement of the object in multi-diia, r r

rections faint/Eta thejaws and particularly are direction longitudinally of the" jaws to prevent downward slipping of the object When it is des ired to prevent thWXQ fiR 9 qsa zsir sues t bi s' t to preveiit damage to the e xterior surface ofthe 'obj'ect, m shaansl vl rmaybets a s a sl dthe a L r ltshaul be at su r i 19t at the i e fi t at i s at k slld as ib ilia fi ii h bottles and othercointainers and objects commonly found along a s; ra swa amtitr 'rt t l n r a beer cansand bottles are gripped in the nanfierfher'e inbefore set torth by the jaw s nndQ the op'er ator ot the .s a nfinsflfl g m y spi ve in m s P- erate the grappling devic ei-to piclcu p such caris an d bott ss. wi hqut yius t9. s wP 9Y 0 wai e? andjcans and the like will then be deposited in a itabl r s ts nt in r b rm rs l in t finger rtt gse j s, 'c f" t sho d T 2 nin s. t-l .s. raPP' af s ex r e genera s; t r .P lQE -J P t s 1 sf o etr's s ash is e rassa i tbs li e-"T 5 b t .t nsi biP l9 P l F Patt iiiigd I 2 511d a substantial quantity of sucht rashcan be carried oiilthe h rsn d e -g t s asu si e 9 basmfs t that Whn su s ant al a ies 9 4 211 FWhfiK?bfi f rinta e ial 4 i t q dth m -Q tt l't i at t- .l ne r t sm ad i QmJ e r PP iPa device i vi simultaneously used for: picking 'upjtrash of the type of pap an ra an pbis t su h a bse f l a d th ike. Whi name: re P te .j tsu ln a dfe thetno b jaw 193 5? ee to bear against a can to hotd theIsame against the jaw 13. When a substantial quantity of paper is on the tiries, it is particularly important that 'tliejaiv 14 have the readilylcornpressible strip 23 thereon and the teeth- 26 ytor securely engaging and holding the object betw'een the jaws because it may he that the paper or other; trash ma t e rial o n=th e tines is sprnewhat slippery. likewise the .i yt 4 P i ed w h the sbm g s i art substantial gripping pressure maybe exerted against the bottle or can sidewall without fear of breaking the bottle because the pressure exerted is spread over a substant w be 1 m ta e men d e t w a f proved picking and grappling device which grasps an object and prevents movement thereot multi-directions and conforms to the general contour of the object as pressure is exerted thereagain st and subsequently loca liz es pressureon certain areas of the" object to pro- 'vide a highly frictional grippingrelation between the ob- .iss a thei s 1' lt wilLof course, be und erstoodi thatvarious changes ',maylbesmetlai t r o e i s; r n e e e portions of the without departing fromthe scope ot invention which consists of the mattershownand described herein" and set forth in the appended claims.

W a Lclgim is: I i" 1: ab e t-p c a r pp n e i .qs pr apair of elongated and opposed jaws interconnected for relative movement toward and away; fromcach other, 131621.118 connected with said' 'jawsjtor producing relative .rnvvsmen fih m ft w d dfa a ifm s other, Qne ofthe jaws including' 'an object-engaging portion .i comprising an; elongated strip of soft and readily comrrressiblef am ru r s tr p. having a we a ing surface, a plurality of teeth secu'red'jonthe last mentioned jaw, the tips of the teeth being disposed behind the "object-engaging surface cream strip rorengrgin the object when the strip is fcompressed, the other of said jaws including a pair of elongated object-engaging tines spaced from each other and disposed on opposite sides of the other jaw to receive the object-engaging strip and teeth therebetween, wherebythe jaws tend to bend the object to prevent slippifigtlii eof transversely of the jaws d saidmmp s leistr co orms thei en tour of the object and the teeth will engage the object to prevent slippingwhereof iasgitaaniauv er me jaws.

A ie tepi k .aatawflinsrisv q .sqmpri a pair of elongated and opposed jawsinterconnec't'd for relative movemenftowar d and- -a way "from each other, means connected with said jaiws for producing relative movement thereof toward and away from each other one of the jaws having an elongated strip of soft and easily compressed town: I DbQ E wit in Q J EQQE E- ing surface; facing the other-19f; saidsjaws, a -plunality of hind saidsurfacc; fori g s nsy he chest-W n h t ip is compressed, releasable means securing said teeth on the jaw, and the other-of;the jawslincludinga pair of elongated, objectgengaging',tinesgspaced from each; other to receive-the-object-engaging stripiand teeth Q? the other jaw therebetween, .whei;ebyi;th; jaws zare adapted shim-p and s pp1 ns:n viq comprising ngated: hand e-ha n atjmrnett P r i gand havi gailower endpo t o ;la-pa rlQt-i s; n t

loweryendyof the handle cooperatiyely ai ranged ingQbject-gripping relation, one of said jawsj bdn rnovab le towa'rdand awayffrom t hepther of theja ws and;h a ving v a plurality of,teeth rernoyably1mounted;.;thereon,and

facing theothenjaw; control; Zmeans connected with said last mentioned jaw andg-including;amanually operable s-con'trol-element-yat" the upper end portion of the h andle,

. an elongatedhandle having ani,upp.er:==:end 1 portion and having al -ioweri-vend portionpajpainofsjaws onithez lower end portion of the handle cooperativlplauangedin-ob- 'ject gripping relationevone' ofnsaicl-rjawsaihein'g stationary withithe handle andthfliirg-zatpait chi-spaced aparti ies Y projectible through iragseipaperirandzrthe; like, ithe other of said jaws being i'moyable? tbward'randmway: frormthe 'stationary jawa andhaving :anwelongaterichannelzrlongitudinally .IIIOVablYi mounted thereonfithe 'channelrhaying longitudinally fext'endingrsidei flanges; Withi teeth (formed therein and facingltlie-stationaryzjaw';controlinieans connected withthe movable jawandincludingamanuallyoperable controlvelement' {at sthesupper :end portion; of, .the *handley'wher'eby the device: may the: usedxforrsimultaneously picking up and carrying various objects and rub- 

